Aeroplane



H. A. DOUGLAS Aug. 30, 1932.

I I AEROPLANE Filed March 5. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30, 1932. H. A.DOUGLAS AEROPLANE I Filed March 5. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1932.H. A. DOUGLAS 1,374,468

AEROPLANE Filed March 5. 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Evy x9. Wagiaa PatentedAug. 30, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGANAEROPLANE Application filed March 5,

My invention relates to-aeroplanes and has for its general object theprovision of an improved skeleton framework for supporting the walls ofthe wings and fuselages and the provision of construction whereby theaeroplane may carry buoying gas such as helium gas.

In the preferredembodiment of the invention the wings and fuselages areformed .to constitute buoying gas containers and the struts, or some ofthem, which unite the wings and fuselages are desirably hollow toestablish communication between the wings and fuselages whereby thebuoying gas may be evenly distributed and will be assuredly supplied tothe wings, even though it may be deficient in other places. The fuselageis desirably divided into two compartments, one normally sealed fromcommunication with the external air and holding the buoying gas and theother normally open to the external air and containing the power plant,the pilot seat and the various conrolling equipment and indicatinginstruments. The sealed compartment is desirably U- shaped, the opencompartment being at the fore part of the aeroplane and in the spacebetween the sides of the U-shaped sealed compartment.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the aeroplane, thus buoyed,is provided with propellers whose plane of rotation may be varied to aidand direct the aeroplane in .the ascent andguide and retard it indescending. To accomplish this result the engine and propellersaredesirably together swingingly mounted.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, with parts inelevation, of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention; Fig.2 is a sectional View online 22 of Fig.1; Fig. '3 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 illustratesanother form of the structure shown in Fig. 3, the structure of Fig. 4being referred. Fig. 5 is a front end View of a part of the aeroplane;Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line 66 of Fig. 1, parts being 1930.Serial 1%.433309.

shown in plan and parts being broken away; Fig. 7 is a front elevationtaken throughout the extent of the wing; Fig. 8 is a plan view of thestructure as it appears in Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 99of Fig. 1, parts being broken away and other parts being shown inelevation; and Fig. 10 is a view ta en on line 1010 of Fig. 1 partsbeing shown in plan and other parts broken away. The fuselage isinclusive of metallic side plates 1 and a third plate which is formedand disposed to constitute the bottom 2 of the fuselage, the fuselagenose or front wall 3 and the fuselage top wall 4. The side walls areconverged to nearly meet at the rear end of the fuselage, the uprightrear edges of these Walls being united through the intermediation of ametallic T member 5. The stem of this T member is embraced between therear upright portions of said side walls with strips 6 of rubber orother sealing material interposed between the stem of the member 5 andthe adjacent portions of the walls 1. Rivets 7 are passed through thestem of the member 5, the strips 6 and the contiguous portions of theside walls 1, these rivets compressing the sealing strips 6 to make theunion between the member 5 and the walls 1 fluid tight. The cornersdefined by the parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 receive the angle iron 8 which isbent to conform to the contour of these corners. angle sealing member 9,shaped similarly to the angle iron 8, receives the said iron 8 and isreceived in the corners defined by the part'. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Rivets 10are passed through the angle iron 8 and through the sealing strip 9 andthe contiguous portions of the parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. All of the outsidecorner portlons of the fuselage are thus thoroughlysealed by the strips6 and 9. The fuselage 1s thus: a metallic shell within which theinternal combustion engine 11 of the power plant 1s disposed togetherwith the pilot seat 12, the control stick 13 and the rudder pedal 14. Aninner shell contains the parts 11, 12, 13 and 14 and includes adownwardly and forwardly sloping metallic plate 15 located between theupright metallic side plates 16 of the inner shell and about midway inthe length of the fuselage.v The plates 16 of the inner shell arelocated between and are spaced apartfrom the fuselage side walls. Thefuselage top wall 4 is discontinued in the region of the shell walls 16and is inwardly bent, indicated at 17, to form an instrument board uponwhich the various instruments 18 are mounted within view of the pilotoccupying the seat 12. Angular sealing pieces 19 are received in thetransverse horizontal corners which are defined by the metallic walls15, 2 and 4 and receive the angle irons 20, rivets being passed throughthese angle irons, the strips 19 and the contiguous portions of theparts 2, 4 and 15. The angular sealing members 21 receive the cornersdefined by the walls and 16 and are received in the angle irons 22,rivets being passed through these angle irons and the contiguousportions of the walls 15 and 16. Inwardly extending metallic plates 23are joined with the front edge portions of the walls 16. Longitudinalwall portions 24 are joined -with the inner edge portions of the parts23 and are, themselves, joined with the nose 3. The corners defined bythe meeting edge portions of the parts 16, 23, 24 and 2 are also sealedby suitable anguflar sealing strips 25 and the angle irons 26 which areriveted against said sealing strips and by such riveting hold thesealing strips in sealing engagement with the wall portions 16, 23, 24and 2. An angle iron 27 extends between the fuselage side walls 1 and isreceived within the corner defined by the top fuselage wall 4 and theinstrument board 17 the parts 17 being between the inner shell wall 16.Sealing strips 28 are received in the corners defined by the wallportions 4 and 23 and these sealing strips receive angle irons 29.Without further description it may be mentioned that all corners of theinner shell, all corners of the fuselage and all corners defined by theinner shell and fuselage are similarly sealed fluid tight. The innershell is thus sealed from communication with the balance of the fuselageinterior. All of the upright walls of the inner shell being spaced apartfrom the side fuselage walls 1 deline with said side walls and theremaining walls of the fuselage a U-shaped space which is effectivelysealed from the interior of the inner shell.

Buoying gas, such as helium gas, fills this U-shaped space to counteractthe weight of the aeroplane. Such buoying gas is desirably also receivedwithin the hollow aeroplane wing 30. The gas'may be admitted through avalve 31 in the top wall of the fuselage and some of it, after enteringthe fuselage, passes through the hollow struts 32 which assemble thewing and fuselage. The buoying gas thus not only fills the fuselage butalso said wing and struts to further increase the volume of such gas tofurther counteract the weight of the aeroplane- The struts and wing,similarly to the fuselage .40 which join the beams.

masses and inner shell, are desirably formed of m n throughout. Theholes in the bottom waii w the wing where communication is estahiis withthe interior of the struts are suriw/ by sealing washers a; which areclamp tween the flanges at the up mrcmlsoitthe at. and the bottom wallof the wing by mean rivets. The holes in the top wall -l- 0 ll" fuselagewhere communication is established with the interior of the struts aresurroumled by sealing washers 34 which are clamped between the flangesat the lower ends of the struts and the fuselage wall 4 also by rivetall joints through which the buoying might pass to the internalatmosphere being thoroughly closed. Where a number of me tallic platescompose the wing, as illustrated in Fig. 9, such plates are in lappingrelation, where they are contiguous, and sealing strips 35 are clampedbetween the lapping portions of these plates by means of rivets, itbeing important that no joints through which the buoying gas mightescape are left unsealed. The top and bottom metallic wall plates of thewing are braced apart by joist members 36 which may be in the form ofplates having numerous openings 37 therethrough and provided withmarginal flanges which are riveted to the wing plates or otherwisesecured thereto. The joist members 36 extend longitudinally of thefuselage and crosswise of the wing and maintain the wing surfaces in shape. Two trusses extend lengthwise of the wing for further strengtheningthe same, each truss comprising two beams 38 which meet in the sideedges of the wing, the connecting bars 39 uniting the contiguous ends ofthe beams 38 and sloping bracing members The beams 38 and the parts '39of each truss thus constitute a frame which surrounds the struts 36, thebracing members 40 being in the spaces between these struts. The struts36 are desirably formed with pockets which snugly receive the beams 38,these beams being T-shaped in cross section.

The sheet metal plates composing the walls of the fuselage are desirablycorrugated throughout as much of their areas as possible. as illustratedin Fig. 4, the corrugation being omitted where the walls are contiguous.The entire'engine 11 is desirably fulcrumed upon fulcrum bearings 41which are mounted upon the wall portions 24 of the inner shell by meansof bolts 'or rivets 42 which pass through flanges upon the trunnionbearings, said wall portions 24 and the angle irons 43 which areprovided to strengthen the walls 24 where the trunnion bearings aredisposed. Suitable sealing strips 44 are interposed between these angleirons and walls to seal the openings through which the bolts or rivets42 pass. The engine casing is provided with lateral extensions 45 whichcarry the shafts 46 that are received in the aforewithin a gear casing53. This gear casing is bolted upon a forward continuation 54 of theengine casing that surrounds the engine shaft and supports a forwardbearing 55 for said shaft. The shafts that carry the beveled pinions 49and 50 also carry beveled pinions 56 and 57 that are at the outer endsof these shafts, The beveled pinions 49, 50, 56 and 57 are upon a commonhorizontal axis that is disposed transversely of the axis of thefuselage and the engine shaft 47. Shafts 58 and 59 carry beveled pinions60 and 61 that are respectively in mesh with the pinions 56 and 57.These shafts are journaled in bearings that are carried by the gearcasing 53 and extend lengthwise of the fuselage, the

axes of the shafts 47, 58 and 59 being paral-* lel and coplanar.Propellers 62 and 63 are provided upon the forward ends of the shafts 58and 59, these propellers being foremost parts of-the aeroplanestructure. The plane of rotation of these propellers are coincident,normally upright and transverse to the axis of the fuselage in theengine shaft. The propellers 62 and 63 are so angularly related thatthey, so to speak, intermesh as they rotate. The engine may be partlyswung upon its trunnion bearings and maintained in the position to whichit is swung for which purpose I may provide the engine* with anad]usting arm 64 carrying a spring pressed holding dog 65 which may bereceived in the notches of a holding segment 66 that is mounted upon oneof the walls 24 of the inner shell and in spaced apart relation to theshell walls. In order that the engine may be swung the nose 3 of thefuselage is provided with an arcuate slot 67 which extends above andbelow the normal axis of the engine shaft, that is above and below theaxis of the fuselage. The engine may be turned to shift the propellersfrom their normal planes of rotation which are at right angles a to thefuselage axis to planes that are oblique with'respect to this axis.

the engine is adjusted counterclockwise from its normal position theplane of rotation of the propellers slope downwardly and rearwardly,whereby the propellers may take part in guiding the descent of theaeroplane. The engine and the propellers driven thereby may thussupplement the function of the elevators 68 which are hinged at the rearmargins of the stabilizers 69. To avoid a draft through the slot 67 Iprovide a closure 67 which engages the portions of the nose 3 thatmargin said slot. The meeting faces of the closure 67 and nose. arecurved and coaxial with the trunnion axis about which the engine isturned,.so that said slot is closed in all positions to which the engineis swung. Said elevators are governed by the stick 13 through theintermediation of the horizontal transversely arranged shaft 70 whichturn within bearings 71. The outer ends of these shafts are'connctedwith the eleyators by cables. 72. The bearings 70 pass through the sidewalls 16 of the inner shell across the space between these walls and theside walls 1 of the fuselage and through these latter side walls. Theopenings in these slots through which these hearings pass are sealed bysealing gaskets 73 of rubber or other suitable packing material topreserve the separation of the interior of the inner shell from thesurrounding space in the fuselage. The stick 13 also governs theailerons 4 through the intermediation of the sides of the forked lever 75. This lever is journaled upon a bearing 76 that defines the horizontalaxis of rotation that extends along the fuselage. The cables 77 connectthe lever with the ailerons. The

stick 13, which is given a fore and aft movement to regulate'theelevators 68 is given a sidewise movement to regulate the. ailerons, thestick being universally mounted at its lower end at 78 as is wellunderstood. The cables 77 pass through tubular housings which passthrough the walls 16 of the inner shell and the side walls 1 of thefuselage, these housings being flanged and in sealed connection withthese walls 16 and 1 to preserve the separation between the sealed spaceof the fuselage and the interior of the inner shell, gaskets 8 surroundthe said housings and are clamped between flanges upon the housings andthe walls 16 and 1 respectively adjacent these flanges. The rudder pedalis connected in a manner well understood with the'rudder 81 by means ofthe cable 82. The

wall 15 of the inner shell may be provided with a front wooden facing83, ena ling the seat 12 to be readily positioned. A flooring 84 may beprovided within the inner shell I and struts of the aeroplane lightensthe aero plane and lessens the duty of the engine and enables theemployment of a lighter engine which is thus more adapted to beadjustable to alter the planes of rotation of the propellers to enablethe propellers to cooperate with the aeroplane wing in effecting thetravel and selecting the direction of travel of the aeroplane. Featuresnot herein claimed are claimed in my copending application Serial No.Stilt-3,310 filed March 5, 1930.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus. described my invention, ll claim:

1. in aeroplane inclusive ofits fuselage and wing portions and hollowstruts supporting said wing portions on said fuselage, the fuselagehaving a sealed compartment containing buoying gas and the wingstructure being hollow and sealed and in communication through saidhollow struts with the sealed compartment of the fuselage.

2. An aeroplane whose fuselage is divided into two compartments, onecompartment being U-shaped with the sides thereof at the fore portion ofthe fuselage and the other compartment being between the sides of theUshaped compartment which is sealed from said other compartment and theexternal atmosphere, the latter compartment containing the pilot seat,the engine of the power plant and the controlling devices and indieatinginstruments.

3. An aeroplane whose fuselage is divided into two compartments, onecompartment being U-shaped with the sides thereof at the fore portion ofthe fuselage and the other compartment being between the sides of theU-shaped compartment which is sealed from said other compartment and theexternal atmosphere, the latter compartment containing the pilot seat,the engine of the power plant and the controlling devices .andindicating instruments, bearings passing through the sides of theU-shaped compartment and in sealed assembly with the wall portions ofthese compartments through which the bearings pass and a shaftaccessible for operation within the compartment that is between thesides of the U-shaped compartment and borne within said bearings andconnected with the elevator of the aeroplane.

4. An aeroplane whose fuselage is divided into two compartments, onecompartment being U-shaped with the sides thereof at the fore portion ofthe fuselage and the other compartment being between the sides of theU-shaped compartment which is sealed from said other compartment and theexternal atmosphere, the latter compartment containing the pilot seat,the engine of the power plant and the controlling devices and indicatinginstruments, housings passing through the sides of the U-shapedcompartment and in sealed assembly with the wall portions of thesecompartments through which the housings pass and the controlling cablesthat are connected with the ailerons passing through these housings fromthe ailerons and into connection with controlling mechanism that isprovided within the pilot seat containing compartment.

5. [in aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried by saidfuselage; a single ongine; a plurality of laterally spaced propellersdriven by said engine; a compartment in said aeroplane for containing abuoyant gas; and means for varying the angle of said engine andpropellers relative to the longitudinal axis of said fuselage so as tocooperate with said gas when in certain positions in lifting saidaeroplane and to oppose the buoyancy of said gas when in certain otherpositions in causing said aeroplane to descend.

6. An aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried by said fuselage;an engine; a propeller driven by said engine; compartments in saidfuselage and Wings for containing a buoyant gas; means for establishingcommunication between said compartments; and means for varying the angleof said engine and propeller relative to the longitudinal axis of saidfuselage so as to cooperate with said gas when in certain positions inlifting said aeroplane and to oppose the buoyancy of said gas when incertain other positions in causing said aeroplane to descend.

7. An aeroplane, comprisin a fuselage; wings carried by said fuselage;an engine; a. propeller driven by said engine; compartments in saidfuselage and wings for containing a buoyant gas; a hollow strut forestablishing communication between said compartments; and means forvarying the angle of said propeller relative to the longitudinal axis ofsaid fuselage so as to cooperate with said gas when in certain positionsin lifting said aeroplane and to oppose the buoyancy of said gas when incertain other positions in causing said aeroplane to descend.

8. An aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage: wings carried by said fuselage;an engine; a propeller driven by said engine; compartments in saidfuselage and wings for containing a buoyant gas; a plurality of hollowstruts connecting the forward and trailing edges of said wings to saidfuselage and for establishing communication between said compartments;and means for varying the angle of said propeller relative to thelongitudinal axis of said fuselage so, as to cooperate with said gaswhen in certain positions in lifting said aeroplane and to oppose thebuoyancy of said gas when in certain other positions in causing saidaeroplane to descend. i

9. A11 aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried by saidfuselage; an engine; a propeller driven by said engine; compartnents insaid fuselage and said Wings for containing a buoyant gas; a pluralityof hollow struts connectin the forward and trailing edges of said wmgsto said fuselage on opposite sides of said fuselage, and forestablishing communication between said compartments; and means forvarying the angle of said propellers relative to the longitudinal axisof said fuselage so as to cooperate with said gas when in certainpositions in lifting said aeroplane and to oppose the buoyancy of saidgas when in certain other positions in causing said aeroplane todescend.

10. An aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried by saidfuselage; a single engine; a plurality of propellers driven by saidengine; compartments in said fuselage and said wings for containing abuoyant gas; hollow struts for establishing communication between saidcompartments; and means \for varying the angle of said propellerrelative to the longitudinal axis of said fuselage so as to cooperatewith said gas when in certain positions in lifting said aeroplane and tooppose the buoyancy of said gas when in certain other positions incausing said aeroplane to descend.

11. An aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried y said fuselage;a single engine; a plurality of propellers driven by said engine andmounted for rotation about laterally spaced axes the distance betweenthe axes of rotation of said propellers being less than the diameter ofsaid propellers; compartments in said fuselage and wings for containinga buoyant gas; means for establishing communication between saidoompartments; and means for varying the angle of said propellers inunison relative to the longitudinal axis of said fuselage to change thedirection of flight of said aeroplane.

12. An aeroplane, comprising: a fuselage; wings carried by saidfuselage; a single en-' gine; a plurality of angularly offset propellersdriven by said engine, and mounted for rotation in substantially thesame plane about axes spaced laterally from one another a distance lessthan the diameter of said propellers; compartments in said fuselage andwings for containing a buoyant gas; means my name.

plane to descend.

for establishing communication between said compartments; and means forvarying the angle'of the axes of said ropellers relative to thelongitudinal axis of said fuselage, so as to cooperatewith said as whenin certain positions in lifting said aeroplane and to oppose thebuoyancy of said gas when in certain other positions in causing saidaero- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe HARRY A. nouems.

